Don't Walk Away
two.
“Want one, sugar?”
I didn’t have to say anything; he smiled and handed me his shot, and ordered another one. I honestly didn’t like to drink, but I would take anything this man put in my hands. Most of the crowd was by the merch table, or were being herded out by security. I would be pushed out soon too, and I wasn’t going to let them take me before I was ready to go. I took the shot and pushed the glass away, covering the burn of alcohol with my Monster. He chuckled, took the shot and turned to face me. I was locked with him; there was no way out. The room was slowly growing quiet, and I knew that I had to go soon, or else security would be dragging me away regardless of if my conversation with Ronnie Radke was over or not.
“What are you doing here all alone, baby?”
Baby. Ronnie Joseph Radke called me ‘baby’. He probably called a lot of girls ‘baby’ but in that moment I didn’t care if he called the Queen of England ‘baby’. He had called me, some random girl, baby. My knees almost gave out at the sound of that pet name, the very pet name I had dreamed of being called by the very man who stood before me, those long nights with longer dreams. All those dreams, those stories… I swallowed back my squeak that threatened to spill, and focused on speaking like a normal, human being, which apparently was going to be hard as fuck because I wanted nothing more than to either faint or throw myself at him.
Back to his question, Riley. Get back to the reason you're here.
“I… I was watching your concert,”
I stuttered annoyingly, biting my lower lip hard at the end of my sentence to contain my excited shriek. God fucking dammit, way to go Riley! I could already feel my lip swell from the abuse, but I didn’t care. He chuckled, wiped his forehead before he looked back down at me with a lazy grin, the same grin that had stolen my heart all those years ago. I didn't care that I was just a fan he was being charming with, I cared that I was actually talking to him, and he wasn't being censored or hurried along by management.
“I meant at the bar. You can’t be old enough to drink.”
Are you asking my age, Mr. Radke?
“I’m twenty one.”
Wow, I had more stability in my voice that time, and I was surprised I didn't squeak after it. He nodded, and then motioned for another shot, and I drank my Monster without protest. He gave me another lazy smile as he drank the shot back, barely registering the fact that the club was gradually getting quieter and quieter.
“Then you can drink with me, sweetheart.”
He wasn’t asking for my name, and to be honest I didn’t care; I could be some interviewer from a magazine and he would still be here drinking with me. This was all I wanted; to spend a few minutes one on one with my hero, my late night crush, my high school hero. We stood together in silence, before the rest of the band sauntered over to us.
“Who’s this, Ronnie?”
Ryan asked, standing behind me. Jacky, Ron and Derek stood around Ronnie, and instantly I felt like I was in with the cool kids; like the ones who actually wanted me to be there. Before Ronnie could gape and ask for my name - which he clearly forgot to ask the first time - I jumped in, smiling as kindly yet as happily as I could at Ryan.
"Riley. My name is Riley."
I didn’t have to say anything; he smiled and handed me his shot, and ordered another one. I honestly didn’t like to drink, but I would take anything this man put in my hands. Most of the crowd was by the merch table, or were being herded out by security. I would be pushed out soon too, and I wasn’t going to let them take me before I was ready to go. I took the shot and pushed the glass away, covering the burn of alcohol with my Monster. He chuckled, took the shot and turned to face me. I was locked with him; there was no way out. The room was slowly growing quiet, and I knew that I had to go soon, or else security would be dragging me away regardless of if my conversation with Ronnie Radke was over or not.
“What are you doing here all alone, baby?”
Baby. Ronnie Joseph Radke called me ‘baby’. He probably called a lot of girls ‘baby’ but in that moment I didn’t care if he called the Queen of England ‘baby’. He had called me, some random girl, baby. My knees almost gave out at the sound of that pet name, the very pet name I had dreamed of being called by the very man who stood before me, those long nights with longer dreams. All those dreams, those stories… I swallowed back my squeak that threatened to spill, and focused on speaking like a normal, human being, which apparently was going to be hard as fuck because I wanted nothing more than to either faint or throw myself at him.
Back to his question, Riley. Get back to the reason you're here.
“I… I was watching your concert,”
I stuttered annoyingly, biting my lower lip hard at the end of my sentence to contain my excited shriek. God fucking dammit, way to go Riley! I could already feel my lip swell from the abuse, but I didn’t care. He chuckled, wiped his forehead before he looked back down at me with a lazy grin, the same grin that had stolen my heart all those years ago. I didn't care that I was just a fan he was being charming with, I cared that I was actually talking to him, and he wasn't being censored or hurried along by management.
“I meant at the bar. You can’t be old enough to drink.”
Are you asking my age, Mr. Radke?
“I’m twenty one.”
Wow, I had more stability in my voice that time, and I was surprised I didn't squeak after it. He nodded, and then motioned for another shot, and I drank my Monster without protest. He gave me another lazy smile as he drank the shot back, barely registering the fact that the club was gradually getting quieter and quieter.
“Then you can drink with me, sweetheart.”
He wasn’t asking for my name, and to be honest I didn’t care; I could be some interviewer from a magazine and he would still be here drinking with me. This was all I wanted; to spend a few minutes one on one with my hero, my late night crush, my high school hero. We stood together in silence, before the rest of the band sauntered over to us.
“Who’s this, Ronnie?”
Ryan asked, standing behind me. Jacky, Ron and Derek stood around Ronnie, and instantly I felt like I was in with the cool kids; like the ones who actually wanted me to be there. Before Ronnie could gape and ask for my name - which he clearly forgot to ask the first time - I jumped in, smiling as kindly yet as happily as I could at Ryan.
"Riley. My name is Riley."